Pretty Little Horses
by CielFangirl325
Summary: While he is away, Alfred sings Arthur a song over the phone, a song about pretty little horses...


**For my twin sister, my America, who stood by me and lifted me up through all those tearful midnight conversations until I got my own pretty little horse. I know you hate sappy things but this is for you anyway. I love you.**

Arthur Kirkland sighed heavily, shutting his eyes and listening to the softly pouring rain on his window. He always had trouble sleeping when his boyfriend, Alfred F. Jones, was away on a business trip, but tonight it had been especially difficult to get some shut eye. He had tried everything he could think of. He had counted unicorns, read Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings until his eyes were sore, drunk copious amounts of warm milk and honey, even tried a few sleeping spells! Yet alas, no matter what he did, the Briton could not will himself to dreamland.

Arthur sighed once more and rolled over to one side, getting his cell phone from his bedside table. _'I hope I'm not going to be a bother to him.'_ He thought, pressing 1 to speed dial his American lover.

"Hey, babe." A familiar and comforting sleepy voice said on the other line.

Arthur rolled his eyes. "Don't call me that, you git." Secretly, he liked it when Alfred called him all his American pet names like babe, doll, or pie. He knew Alfred liked it just as much on those rare occasions when he let love or darling escape his own lips. Blushing, he stuttered "Where are you?"

"I'm in my hotel...without a shirt." Alfred told him. He could practically hear the smirk on the American's face.

"I DIDN'T ASK WHAT YOU WERE WEARING, JONES!" Arthur yelled, his face beet red.

Alfred laughed. "Shut up, doll! You'll wake the neighbors!" He warned.

"It's your fault if I did, wanker!" Arthur hissed, sighing for the third time in fifteen minutes.

Alfred heard the sigh as clear as day. "What's wrong, pie?" He asked, concerned. "Don't say 'nothing'. I heard that sigh." He added before Arthur could say anything. The Briton on the other end said nothing. "Oh. You can't sleep, can't you? Hmmm... What could I do?" He looked around his hotel room, his eyes landing on a picture frame on the desk. In the simple gold frame was a picture of him and Arthur in England, riding horses in the British countryside. He smiled. "Hey Arthur, I'm sorry if this sucks, but bear with me." He flopped onto his back and began to sing into the phone quietly.

_"Hush a bye  
Don't you cry  
Go to sleep my little baby  
When you wake you shall have  
All the pretty little horses_

Dapples and greys  
Pintos and bays  
All the pretty little horses

Way down yonder  
In a meadow  
Poor little baby crying 'mama'

Birds and butterflies  
Flutter 'round his eyes  
Poor little baby crying 'mama'

Hush a bye  
Don't you cry  
Go to sleep my little baby  
When you wake you shall have  
All the pretty little horses

Dapples and greys  
Pintos and bays  
All the pretty little horses

Hush a bye  
Don't you cry  
Go to sleep my little baby  
When you wake you shall have  
All the pretty little horses"

Alfred smiled as he finished the song, hearing the phone hit the bed and his British lover's soft snores seconds later. He grinned and kissed the phone. "Goodnight, Iggy. I love you." He hung up his phone with a click, staring at the photograph on the desk until he too fell asleep.

Three years after that incident, Arthur awoke to a small voice crying "Papa!". He quickly got out of the bed he shared with Alfred and ran to his daughter's bedroom. Two year old Ella was sat bolt upright in her small pink and white bed, crying.

Arthur walked quickly over to the bed and sat down, pulling the small blonde girl into his lap and holding her tight. "What's wrong, poppet?" The Englishman murmured, kissing the top of his little girl's head.

"I-I had a nightmare..." Ella told him quietly, trembling.

Arthur nodded. He suddenly got an idea. "Ella, would you like me to sing you a song your daddy once sung to me when I couldn't sleep?" Ella nodded. Arthur smiled and gently layed Ella down on her bed, stroking her hair. He began to sing in a soothing whisper.

_"Hush a bye  
Don't you cry  
Go to sleep my little baby  
When you wake you shall have  
All the pretty little horses_

Dapples and greys  
Pintos and bays  
All the pretty little horses

Way down yonder  
In a meadow  
Poor little baby crying 'mama'

Birds and butterflies  
Flutter 'round his eyes  
Poor little baby crying 'mama'

Hush a bye  
Don't you cry  
Go to sleep my little baby  
When you wake you shall have  
All the pretty little horses

Dapples and greys  
Pintos and bays  
All the pretty little horses

Hush a bye  
Don't you cry  
Go to sleep my little baby  
When you wake you shall have  
All the pretty little horses"

Arthur smiled down at his little girl, kissing her forehead. He was careful not to disturb her when he got off the bed as she had finally found rest. "That was pretty, babe." Alfred's voice said from the doorway.

Arthur looked up and silently walked over to his husband. "Thank you, love." He smiled slightly, blushing. "I think adopting that little girl was the best decision we ever made."

Alfred nodded, smiling. He bent his knees slightly and kissed Arthur lovingly. Arthur kissed him back, throwing his arms around his beloved's neck. The moment was perfect and peaceful, completely silent except for the nickers and whinnies of the pretty little horses in the pasture outside.


End file.
